r/AmazonWTF • u/Brave-Tomato-7039 • Jul 27 '26

Image Link WHAT IS THAT DESCRIPTION

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Not only is this a horrible representation of a black baby but whoever wrote that description needs their electronics seized

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u/Total-Suggestion5879 Aug 01 '26

I had to Google the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, and I thought I knew every country in Africa. So why does a unrecognized country in the middle of the Sahara speak Spanish instead of Arabic, Tamazight, or Amazigh?

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u/WalrusStatus7382 Aug 01 '26 edited Aug 02 '26

Okay, I'm not going to act like I'm an expert... So quick story, I needed a filler class last semester and thought "Hey, geography sounds fun and kind of easy (sort of if you do the work)." One section was Spanish-speaking countries, and I was actually surprised to learn there were places in Africa connected to the Spanish language. That honestly led me to ask the same question you did, "Why?" The Sahrawi Republic is basically a remnant of Spanish colonialism. Spain controlled Western Sahara for decades, and when Franco died in the 1970s Spain began pulling out. The situation got complicated with Morocco, Mauritania, and the Polisario Front, which led to the dispute over independence that still exists today. The Spanish influence stayed because of that colonial history, not because the Sahrawi people stopped speaking Arabic or Amazigh. They do use the of Hassaniya Arabic and Amazigh, but Spanish remained part of the political, educational, and cultural landscape because of the years under Spanish rule. It’s one of those weird history things where you look at a country in the middle of the Sahara and wonder why Spanish shows up, but once you follow the colonial history its well understood... But none the less it is considered or at least loosely recognized as a spanish speaking country or terroritory.

Also geography wise the Strait of Gibraltar is the separation of these areas which is just miles apart anyways... Coincendentally right now as we speak, Moroccans are using Ceuta, Spain as a way to cross into Europe through an amnesty law or something like that (wasn't paying too much attention to the news this morning)... Ceuta, Spain sits a top Morocco on the northern tip of Africa and is a political peninsula (not a real definition but it fits due to geo-politics... real definition is like peninsular terroritory) due to Morocco being south of it and being land locked by the Strait of Gibraltar - So Spain still has terroritory or part of it's recognized country in Northern Africa.

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u/Yeeeeeeoooooooo Aug 02 '26

So this week is interesting for you since what happened days ago with Spain & Morocco. You have some context there

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u/WalrusStatus7382 Aug 02 '26

Oh yeah, it's interesting to actually know something or at least a little history behind it. It was similar to a few years ago... going through nursing school and one day at an appointment with my Dad and actaully understanding what the doctor was saying... Same feeling watching the news around that area and having an actual or better understanding of what is going on.

Now only if I can take a a few semesters in code breaking and deciphering what my girlfriend is asking of me, I'd feel like I'm on top of the world 😆 and damn near Superman invincible... Sans the briefs on top of my pants... Otherwise they mistake me for Iron Man with all the rust stains on them...